Warlordesses
by Snow Myth
Summary: Their attention was suddenly diverted when just about every car alarm in the parking lot started going off. There, in the center of a deep crater, were three armored figures.
1. Part One

Started: November 2000

Updated: June 13, 2003

Authors note: 

Kaylee- Hi all! Just gotta pop in and tell everyone that the Ronin Warriors do not belong to us.

Mew- they belong to sunrise inc. but don't worry! We'll return them! Maybe…

Noin- What do you mean by that?

Kaylee- these are my friends Rowin's fan (Crazy mew) and _Cadet noin_. They helped me write this fic too.

Mew- HIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!

Noin- ::sweatdrop:: hi everyone!

Kaylee- our characters, Kat, Irene, and Alexis belong to us, as well as their armors.

Mew- So don't steal them!!!!!!

Noin- Uh, Mew. Settle down.

Kaylee- Don't wreck my house!!!!

Mew- ok! ^.^ I'm psycho!

Kaylee- Don't tell them about the fic now!

Noin- I don't think she is…

Kaylee- O.O*

Noin- o.0

Mew- ^.~ o

Kaylee- hey look! Sage in a Speedo! ::drool:: No! don't delete it! Noooo!!!

Mew- : )

Noin- Oy… (/(_^*

__

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Light of Mind

By: Snow Angel (Kaylee)

In light of mind

I find no sorrow.

The armor of nine

I will face tomorrow.

I'll give my life,

To the world I protect.

You may stab me through 

To my very soul,

With the sword of darkness in hand,

But I will not die.

In light of mind. 

__

*******************

Prolog

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!! Kiyra!!!" Sehkment cried out as Kiyra fell to the ground beneath the onslaught of sword play from the invaders. He ran to her side and cradled her lifeless body. The other Warlords jumped to protect him as the onslaught continued without lul. 

They, the three warlords and Kiyra, had stayed in the dynasty to protect against another evil tyranny. The invaders had been pressing them for only a few days and they were already down to just themselves. They had not been able to contact the Ronins, Bademon had seen to that. Somehow the evil spirit had survived, and come with thousands of nether soldiers and spirits to reclaim the dynasty.

Sehkment lay Kiyra back on the ground softly and rose with flames in his eyes. Taking up a battle stance between the other two Warlords he faced the on coming invaders. Screaming out in fury, he ran at them full speed, his swords of venom drawn to take out anything standing in his way. Sehkment had taken out several before turning around to a soldier holding a spear just over his head and ready to bring it down on him when Kale stepped in the way taking the blow for him. Time moved in slow for him as he watched his friend fall, then he and Dais were separated in the wave of madness. His last thoughts were of emptiness. They'd never be able to hold off Bademons forces…

Chapter One (Kat)

Kat sat staring at the small bubbles floating up the side of her glass of Pepsi. She didn't feel like doing anything but sitting there in her little Nevada house, staring at her soda glass. 

"Boring!" she murmured to herself, but made no move to get up. She didn't understand why she was so tired. "Must have been that race yesterday." 

"What race?" asked her mom as she walked into the room. "And why are you just sitting there?"

"Mom! I ran a race yesterday with the kids at school, OK?" Actually, it had been a race home, them behind her, thankfully, the whole way. She was pretty popular in school, except when it came to this one group of really stuck up kids. They seemed to hate her just because she was there. 

She sighed. "I'm going upstairs." She pushed herself from her chair, grabbed her almost flat soda, and trudged up to her room.

Chapter Two (Alexis)

Alexis tore open the box packed full of her many candle holders and candles. Boxes still piled high in her spacious room. She growled angrily at the cold that permeated the large space. She was certain she would never forgive her parents for moving her to Ohio after she had lived her entire life in California. Not to mention they had moved her in the middle of winter!

Alexis gently placed her little lanterns onto the glass shelf above her bed. A week and she still had so much unpacking to do. The only thing she could come up with that quelled her anger was the fact that her room was huge and had a private bathroom and walkin closet. 

There was a nock on the door and her stepfathers voice came from the other side. "I'm leaving your display rack and sword case out here!"

"Fine." She waited for the footsteps to disappear down the hall before opening the door and bringing in her pride and joy. Her swords were her trophies. Every time she won a match in her kendo class, her sensai would buy her a new sword. She missed him a lot. Sensai Kudo was like a father to her, seeing as how her stepfather wasn't much of one. 

Alexis looked out her window and noticed the sun was already setting. Sunday was ending and she had school tomorrow. She shivered visibly. She hated school. Nobody liked her, everyone she wanted to be friends with thought she was a snobbish rich kid and the ones that did want to be her friends only wanted it because they were snobbish people who wanted to be rich.

It was all hopeless, she was stuck until she could move out. 

Chapter Three (Irene)

The sun was setting. Irene thumped her books down on the table. She walked over to the open window feeling the cool breeze, and realized with frustration it was too late to go anywhere now. " Just great I finally get my homework done and-" 

"LOOKY!!!" shouted a voice. she turned around and to her annoyance found Rosalie, Mama Marie's daughter who was like a little (and extremely annoying) sister. She began parading around shoving a little furry gray thing into her face.

It turned out to be a tiny bunny. 

"Mama says I can keep it! Isn't it precious?"

Then it really began to get worse when she started with the baby talk... "Awww dorabale yes you are! yes you are! Hello bunny wunny!" 

"Rose!" she found herself shouting, "Go away! Leave me alone!" the little girl's eyes grew wide and then cried,

"Fine Emeris be that way! you're, you're such a meanie!" she stormed out of the room banging the door as she left. 

Irene turned back to the window, now angry at herself for not controlling her temper better. The sun was now disappearing behind the red roofs that spread all over Rome, her home. She had lived in Italy for six years. Ever since her mother and father died when they had lived in America, she had lived with her Aunt Marie. It hadn't been easy at first, getting used to it all from America to Italy, but she had, and had even become quite fluent in the Italian language. She wrapped her arms about herself, her dark green eyes staring out to the horizon. 

Was she content? No. Although she loved it here with the old buildings, museums, and libraries. She was solitary and didn't have much in the way of friends, she supposed it was mostly her fault being cynical and careful of most people. She wanted some adventure like in the books she read. Though the chance of a fairy godmother appearing and giving her magical powers; or sending her to a far off exotic place, were far from her favor. 

She smirked remembering what Rosalie had called her, "Emeris." She had gotten the nickname once when she had been in a museum with Rosalie. They had been looking at a painting by a man named Anthony Emeris, and Rosalie had exclaimed "Wow! He draws as good as you! I'm gonna call you Emeris!" and she always had after that.

The smell of tomato sauce and garlic wafted up to her room. Looks like Mama Marie was making spaghetti. Again! 

Chapter Four (Armors)

The fire shifted between blue and green as the netherspirits hummed and mumbled their incantations. Bademon hung above the floor behind the four armors, fully assembled. The Venom, Illusion, Darkness, and Cruelty armors glowed in the dim light. As the spells reached their peak, the glow around the armors grew, and the armors began to meld together. Bademon's own voice grew louder, his eyes glowing, as he pulled the armors apart again, reforming them into three more powerful armors. Windstorm, Snowstorm, and Deep forest stood glowing in the center of the room as the roaring chants subsided into silence. 

Bademon stared at them, taking in every detail, so that he could find them once more. Then he sent the armors away. The glowing orbs disappeared into a portal to the mortal realm, to find the ones best suited to their Kanji's.

Bademon turned to his nether spirits. "Go out and find them! Be quick!" the netherspirits flew screeching into the mortal realm, following the path of each of the glowing orbs.

Chapter Five (Ronins)

"Rowin! Hi!" exclaimed Mia as she held open the door for him. He stepped in and looked around as if he hadn't seen the mansion in a long time, which was true. For the past year all the Ronins had been at different colleges around the world. Ryo had been in America, Cye was with his family in Australia. Kento had been attending in France, probably for the French food. Sage continued helping in his fathers dojo part time while attending a college in Japan. Rowin had just arrived from Hartford University in Britan to spend one week with his friends and fellow Ronins. They gathered in the Nevada mansion where Mia had moved after adopting Yuli.

"Hey guys!" he called as he walked into the dinning room.

"Hey! Rowin!" Ryo slapped him on the back. "How's it been?"

"Hey guys, nice to see ya." He said as he sat down. Cye wrestled a sandwich from Kento in time to save it. 

"Hey! You're here!" Everyone looked up as Yuli bounded down the stairs yelling. "You're here! You're here!"

"Yuli! Whats up man?" Rowin grinned as the boy tackled him in playfull reminder of when he would try to spar with them.

"See Ryo!" he crowed, "He calls me a man! I'm almost a teenager, i'm growing up!"

"Right Yuli, whatever." Ryo shook his head and grinned, thinking of where the birthday present was safely hidden from the soon-to-be thirteen year old.

A few hours later they were all togther again, for the first time in almost four years. They spent the day remembering the past and telling eachother about all the things they'd done while they'd been gone. 

Chapter 6 (Worlord-esses)

The torches flared blue along the walls of the room as the three appeared in a dark shimmer. Two armored women holding the arms of another to her back. They dropped her on the floor.

"Welcome to the nether realm." Said the one in white and pale blue armor.

"I will never join you." Mumbled she in the pale pink armor, a small trickle of blood running from the corner of her mouth. She was just able to raise her arm enough to wipe the blood away. 

Bademon looked down upon her from Tulpa's previous throne room. "You will think differently soon." Four dynasty soldiers walked into the large, shadowed area. Two of them picked up the mutilated girl from the floor while the other two soldiers followed behind.

"Throw her into the dimmest cell. We'll see how some time in complete darkness alone makes her think differently about joining us." Bademon laughed evilly as the young girl was dragged out of the room, too weak to fight. 

The other two armored females stood at attention, waiting for orders from their leader. With a distracted wave of his hand he dismissed them, and they bowed and teleported to their quarters.

"I don't see why she won't join us." Stated Kat as she allowed her armor to dissipate to a pale blue sub-armor.

"She's just stubborn. She'll see the light eventually." Laughed Irene, who also powered down to a deep green sub-armor. 

"No kidding she'll see the light, when she gets out of the cell, maybe!" They both laughed wickedly.

Chapter 7 (Darkness Awaiting)

Alexis sat crouched in the corner of the cold, dank cell. Betrayed by those who she thought she could call friends. Banishing her armor to the sub- armor she stared blankly into the darkness. The only light from a small crack not even big enough to see through. "I'll never join them, I'll never join them…" She kept repeating to herself. 

A shiver crept down her spine as a nether spirit entered the cell. The almost unseen form advanced on her, and she cringed away from it. It's eyes were glowing red and evil as it reached out to touch her. Alexis felt herself become immersed in the evilness of the dynasty and felt her mind lose all consciousness as if her soul were drowning in an eternal well of emptiness. For a moment she fought, before being completely over taken and forced into the depths of her own body. Her eyes shone red as she stood and confidently walked to the cell door and watched it open.   
Bademon stood waiting expectantly as she stepped out.

"So glad you could join us." He murmured. "Please follow me to your quarters. I will inform you of your mission after you have rested." Alexis smiled as she turned to follow him. Her eyes returned to their normal Hazel color as they disappeared down the dimly lit hall.

Chapter 8 (Undercover) 

Alexis stood behind the large, scarlet gym curtain (which was pulled back and tied) watching some boys playing basketball. In the midst was the one she was watching. A young man by the name of Kento. The basketball came flying out of bounds and in her direction. She caught it with ease and held it as the young man stood about, waiting for her to throw it back. She smiled and tossed it with all her might, hitting Kento square in the gut. Kento just took it and walked back to the game. 

Kat followed discreetly behind the boys as they pretended to punch and kick each other as they walked down the sidewalk. Ryo and Rowen laughed as they went, not knowing they were being followed, being watched. Kat would follow them right to their house, to find out exactly were they slept. After all, they would be weakest when they were asleep.

Irene sat on the park bench watching Cye and Sage playing Frisbee with White Blaze. She sat starring over her book. It was almost time to report back to Bademon. She wondered what the others had discovered, if it had been as easy for them to find the Ronins. She stood and made her way down the path until she was hidden by the branches of a large willow tree, then transported to the nether realm.

Chapter 9 (attack)

Mia and Yuli left the house in the care of the five young men.(authors note- Kaylee: When will Mia learn?) Mia had volunteered as part of a red cross group going to Africa to help disaster relief efforts after a recent earthquake. Ryo had also insisted that Whiteblaze be taken along, both as protection and becasue he could find people trapped in rubble _and_ dig them out. 

The Ronins were sparring in the front yard as the sun was setting, hours after they had seen the trio off at the airport. Ryo charged Cye in an effort to knock him over as Sage and Rowen watched. Kento was demolishing a large sandwich while he awaited his turn at the victor. 

Ryo barely avoided the spear as it buried its large, deadly point where he had been standing. Instantly, the five were alert. 

They were unprepaired for the attack from the enemy they had thought long gone. Spears and swords, tridents and arrows flashed as the wave of nether soldiers converged on the Ronins. They were forced to armor up completely and found that four years of not having to wear the armors wore them out rather quickly. Twenty soldiers each almost overwhelmed them. 

Kento yellped in pain as a soldier's axeblade struck his shoulder from behind. Though it didn't penetrate the armor, the soldiers were stronger than they'd been under Tulpa's reign, and the energy smashed him with intense pain. Rowin jabbed an arrow through the soldiers back before it could strike Kento again, and suddenly the battle was over. Soulless armors lay strewn over the grass. 

The Ronin Warriors powered down to their sub-armors, breathing hard at the intense workout they had just recieved. 

"How could Talpa be back?" Ryo said, out of breath from the fight. 

"Tulpa? Those were way stronger than any Tulpa ever employed, man. They're packing real power now." Kento rubbed his shoulder and winced.

"I thought we killed Tulpa, guys. What if it's someone else?" Rowin kicked at an empty helmet near his foot and continued more quietly. "What happened to the Warlords and Kiyura in the Neather relm?"

"I don't know, but we need to find out, and quick before the next attack." Sage replied. 

Chapter 10 (Enemies Revealed) 

"WIND OF FURY!!" A Wave of energy gusted over them, blowing them all over each other and causing there skin to burn. 

"SNOW STORM BLAST!!" A burst of snow washed over them, almost freezing them to the places where they stood, as the trees and animals turned a pearly white and froze around them. 

"FOREST VINE LASH!!" Thorned vines lept from the icy ground and curled painfully around their arms, legs, and chests. 

The dust thrown up from the first attack cleared from their vision and what appeared to be three young women became visible, standing magestically in the sky above them. One of them had great metal wings spreading from her back, and her armor shone a faint blue. She laughed at them and sneared.

"Nice try. You did Destroy Talpa, but you made one key mistake." 

"Can you guess what it is, though?" taunted one who's armor was deep green. "Here's a hint, you never really destroyed Bademon." 

"That doesn't explain who you are…" Kento started. 

"Or how you have armors." Rowen finished.

"Our armors are made from the four Warlord armors." the third girl's pale pink armor was shining in the setting sun. She smiled mockingly. 

"What did you do to the Warlords?!" screamed Ryo, struggling hard against the thorny bounds. The other Ronins cursed under their breath and tried desperately against their bindings.

"Fool, they were killed, of course." The second crossed her arms and glared down at them, thinking it should have been obvious.

By now the sun had set completely. The snow still covered the surrounding area even through the heat of summer. The only light glowed wickedly from the armors of the trio as they watched the Ronins struggle. 

"I think you will remember this well." the winged one jeered. "If you don't it will be your end." 

Into the air around them came the sudden, hideous cackling of Bademon's voice. The projected presence of the spirit floated above the armored trio, grinning maliciously, full of power.

"I think they've gotten the message, my Warlordesses. Return so they may lick their wounds. You may beat them down another day."

"Can't we kill them now and be done wi-"

"No! Do not disobay my orders!" His anger rang in sharp reprieve to the first warrior's protests, and with the faintest shimmer, they vanished. The snow and vines fell away with their departure, but the cold still lingered in the skin of the battered Ronins.

As they stood and turned toward the house, their spirits fell more. Part of the house had been demolished during the raging battle with the nether soldiers.

"Dude, it's bad enough we have to deal with new enemies..." Whined Kento.

"But we'll suffer worse if Mia finds out her house was demolished again." Finished Cye with a groan. 


	2. Part Two

Chapter 11 (Streaks) 

They grinned at each other as they powered down to their sub armor in the nether realm. Kat stepped up to the mirror in their room and began to brush her short blond hair. She watched her own sassy green eyes studying herself in the mirror, and noticed something strange. The beginning of two blue-ish streaks showed near the top of her head. The blue reminded her of the color of her armor, and there was silver mixed in it, too. Turning, she saw that Irene and Alexis had also discovered streaks in their hair. Alexis had pink and silver against her long brown hair, and Irene's black ponytail had been invaded by streaks of Green and silver. 

"What the heck?"

"Must be because of the armors."

"Cool."

Chapter 12 (Getting Close) 

Rene walked into the local gym wearing a dark green, silk blouse and acid washed blue jeans. This was the place where Alexis had been watching Kento earlier in the week. There she found Cye, working out with the exercise equipment. Using the dynasty power to slightly move a piece of equipment in her path, she walked across and tripped over it, falling into Cye's lap. Cye dropped the weights he was lifting and blushed. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm so clumsy." Rene smiled bashfully, a lock of green and silver hair falling in her face. 

"That… that's okay." Cye blushed even more. A little red crept into Rene's cheeks as she got off of his lap. Cye stood as well.

"I guess I'd better be going." Rene turned and started to walk away but Cye caught her arm. 

"What's your name?" He asked, Rene smiled again. In the back of her mind she laughed at how well her plan actually worked. 

"My… my name? It's Rene. I really have to go now." She pulled her arm from Cye and walked away. Cye just stood starring as she left. 

* 

Katy watched Rowen from behind a tree. She wore a gray T-shirt with white wings wrapping around the sides and cream shorts that hung just above her knees. He was just sitting there, leaning against a tree, reading a rather large bound book. She smiled and put her plan into action. 

She quietly walked over and stood beside him, reading over his shoulder until he noticed she was there. When he finally did look up, she smiled politely.

"Hi! You looked so interested in that book that I had to come over and see what you were reading." She shrugged and pulled her fingers through the blue and silver streaks in her blond hair.

"It's a book on Greek Mythology." He said, smiling slightly. 

"Cool. Mind if I read too?" Without waiting for an answer, she slid down and leaned up against Rowen, pretending to read the large book. For a moment she thought he was going to argue, but then he settled down and continued to read.

*

Alex looked through the window of the sword shop at Sage. He was looking at a rack of Nodachi's. She entered the store and walked around, pretending to look at another rack of daggers. Slowly she made her way to where Sage was standing. When both of them went for the same sword, their hands touched and jerked back quickly. 

Alex blushed slightly and smiled when Sage's head jerked to finally notice that someone was standing next to him. He stared for a second and Alex blushed even more as a lock of pale pink and silver hair fell in her face and she pushed it back. 

"You have excellent taste in swords." He said kindly. 

"I've been collecting them ever since I started taking Kendo lessons." She smiled triumphantly. 

"Then you're an experienced swordswoman?"   
"Since I was 7 years old." 

"How about a dual? There's a small dojo in the back."

"All right." On their way back, both tested and picked up practice swords.

Alex pulled her hair back into a quick braid, took off the white-denim jacket from over a pale pink T-shirt and took her position opposite of Sage. 

Sage made the first move and Alex parried it elegantly, taking her strike at him as she moved out of the way. Sage dodged and the two swords clashed. Alex turned a complete circle out of the way and went to attack Sage again. Sage successfully dodged that attack too and their swords once again clashed. The two stood looking into each others eyes and Alex became entranced. Something about his eyes brought something up from the depths of her soul and made her feel… amazing. 

Sage took this chance and knocked the sword from her hands. Alex snapped awake and stood lost for a moment, before bowing to Sage. He bowed back, ever polite.

"You have beaten me in an honorable match. I guess I'm out ofpractice." She started to walk out the door. 

"Wait, what's your name?" Sage asked.

"It's Alex." She went to open the door but paused as a wave of dizziness overcame her. Alex put her hand on her forehead. 

"Are you okay?" Sage walked up to her.

"I… I don't know..." He caught her as she fainted.   


Chapter 13 (Emerging Feelings)

Alex opened her eyes groggily, blinking to clear them. It was hard at first to tell who's face was hovering above her, but then she realized it was him. 

"Are you okay?" Sage asked gently. 

"Where am I?" 

"Still at the sword shop. Here I bought this for you." Sage smiled and helped Alex sit up. He handed the sword to her, the one they had been looking at earlier. Alex looked into his eyes again, and she felt something strange. Flashes of images appeared in her minds eye. She shook her head to clear it and got up.   
"I… I have to go." She took the sword and hurried out of the room. Once She was far enough away she transported to her quarters in the dynasty. 

Alexis took one step and collapsed to her knees clenching her stomach. She felt her soul trying to force out the demon within. Moments later Irene and Kat walked into the room. 

"Alexis." Kat needn't say more. Alexis forced herself off the cold stone floor and followed behind the two girls in their sub-armors. Before reaching the throne room, Alexis summoned her sub-armor as well. The trio entered the throne room. 

"You disappoint me Alexis. You fight what I have so adamantly given you. Why is this?" Bademon stared her down. 

"I am sorry Master. I do not mean to be so ungrateful for the gifts you have given to me. It will not happen again" A bolt of light struck out from Bademon, hitting her painfully in the chest. Alexis fell to her knees in pain. It overwhelmed her, she groaned, but she would not scream. 

"Irene, Kat, you two are dismissed. I have some unfinished business with Alexis." Bademon sneered. Alexis felt the scream that she kept down come closer and closer to the surface. Finally, as the two girls left, she let out a shrill shriek of pain.

"Why does Alexis still fight the dynasty? Her games are starting to get really annoying." Irene said angrily. "She's going to be killed at this rate!" her voice sounding almost concerned. 

"Who knows, and why would you be so concerned if Alexis were to die?" Kat paused before continuing, "Bademon has given her so much. She should be thankful for everything he's given her." Kat replied. 

Alexis fell on the floor of the same dark, dank cell as before. "Please Master, don't lock me in here again, please please!" She cried. Something hard and metal hit her and she screamed as blood trickled down her back under the pale pink t- shirt. The metal thing hit her again. "AHHHHH!!!!" 

A halo of pale pink and silver began to surround Alexis. Growing stronger as the spirit left her body and her wrists and ankles were bound. The spirits were not strong enough to keep her under control, so they would have to use a spell. Until then the torture would continue. Alexis would not soon forget the pain that came down upon a betrayer of the Dynasty. 

Kat and Irene heard the screams from their comrade all through the night. Sometimes the screams would be more muffled and quiet, others loud and shrill. How much more would Alexis be able to handle before giving up and letting herself die? She was too stubborn for that, she'd never give up. 

"When will she stop screaming? Didn't her mother ever tell her that night time was supposed to be sleepy time?" Kat complained as the clock struck twelve midnight. 

"When Bademon decides to stop torturing her. How would you like to be hit, repeatedly, with your own sword." Irene replied hollowly, wincing every time she heard a scream.

(Alexis will you shut up already. Didn't anyone ever tell you it was unlady like to scream out loud? Besides some of us are trying to sleep!) Kat gave Alexis this little message through telepathic link, and, as expected, recieved no reply, only more screams as the torturers continued the onslaught against Alexis. 

Unlike Kat, Irene couldn't sleep. The screaming kept waking her up. At first she had found it annoying but it had started to scare her. She slipped out into the hallway in her green nightgown and walked over to one of the castle's windows. She wondered why she had never noticed how small the windows were, hardly shedding any light. 

She didn't know why the screaming of Alexis bothered her so much. It had been easy to ignore her when she was with someone else, but by herself…Well Alexis was a traitor wasn't she? 

And why was she fighting the Ronin Warriors? Because they were the enemy. They were cruel abominations who would lead the world to ruin, takeover, or that's what Bademon had said anyway. 

"But that boy's eyes didn't seem wicked…" Irene said wistfully. She was trying to remember something, but she didn't know what it was. Like this little voice in the back of her head was trying to tell her something, but it was being muffled. Some haze of black… being strangled. "A cloud of black mist in my mind." she shakily whispered. Suddenly a rush of pain seared through her, and Irene fell to her knees. She was burning, a flash of red went through her eyes and then it was gone. Agony quivered through her body, but she didn't make a sound. After all, true Warlordesses didn't scream outloud.

Chapter 14 (Questions)

Rowen, Kento, Ryo, and Sage sat around the living room with a small fire in the fireplace while Cye cooked dinner. Sage was starring into the fire deep in thought, Rowen tried to finish reading his book on Greek Mythology, Kento sat cramming a large sandwich into his mouth, and Ryo lay spread out sleeping on the couch. 

Cye put some fried chicken in a frying pan for the fish free sushi he was making. He tried to make his thoughts relax as he enjoyed his favorite hobby. 

__

That girl, she said her name was Rene. Something felt strange about her. I hope I'm wrong but I could almost swear I felt a touch of dynasty power when she touched me. He blushed a little as he remembered the cute, shy look on her face when she had tripped into him. _And then there are those new Warlordesses. They're strong, incredibly so. I'm worried. _He left his thoughts to attend to the chicken.

Kento finished his pre-supper sandwich. 

__

I wonder who these new Warlordesses could be. Man I hope Cye hurries up with dinner I'm starving. How could a couple of girls be so strong? Cye man, you better hurry up before I'm reduced to a pile of shriveled up skin. What about the girls Sage, Rowen, and Cye talked about? Who are they? 

Rowen read the same word over and over as his mind slowly wandered. _Katy, that was her name Katy. Who is she? Something about her reminded me of something that I can't quiet put my finger on. Why am I so suspicious? She was cute... that look on her face when we talked._

Ryo heard that threatening laugh of the Warlordesses from their first meeting. He didn't like reliving this event in his dreams but he couldn't wake up. His mind wouldn't let him wake up. 

Sage continued to stare into the blaze of fire. _Alex, her smile I wonder… where she went to? She's a very good swordswoman, why did she disappear all of a sudden? _Sage's eyes glazed over in thought. He wanted to see that girl again… 

Chapter 15 (Katy's anger)

She ran her fingers along the row of books keeping her eyes keenly on the blue haired boy engrossed in another rather large book. She had been watching him for several minutes now in Herald's bookstore. She began to pull a book from the shelf, so as not to seem suspicious. Unfortunately, the shelf was crammed tightly, and as she pulled the book out, other books tumbled out with it. She quickly knelt down and tried to pick them up, but the one on bottom slipped and she dropped them all again.

"Need some help?" Asked a voice beside her. She looked up startled to see him standing next to her! She froze. "You're the one from the park! Katy, right?" Rowen bent down next to her and helped her pick up the books she had dropped. She resisted correcting him on her name, remembering that he only knew her code name.

"Uh, thanks." She stammered as they fit the books on the shelf.

"Anything you looking for?" He asked. He didn't seem to suspect anything. She thought of the first name of a book she could remember.

"Greek Mythology." She said, then realized that was what he had been reading, and blushed.

"Would you like to borrow mine? I'm done with it."

"No, that's OK." She ignored the bell of the door opening, until she heard Irene's voice.

"Everything alright, Katy?" Her voice seemed to sneer, but she detected a tired tone behind it. She whirled around.

"Fine, Rene! Why, don't you have someone else to bug?"

"You're blushing!" Kat could have punched that sneer off her face. Instead she grabbed her by the arm and walked toward the door, spinning her around and dragging her in the process.

"Come on!" They stepped out the door, around the corner, and into the alley where they disappeared back to the nether realm. 

(Nether realm)

"Let's spar!" Yelled Kat, her sub-armor appearing.

"Angry?" Taunted Irene as she dodged punches.

"You could say that. I thought you were always on my side!" She attacked hard and fast.

"I am! But I don't like you flirting with the enemy!" She yelled as she dodged and kicked.

"FLIRTING! Look who's talking! You were found last night by a window in the hall way, mumbling about Cye!" 

"You watch your mouth!" gritted Irene. She jabbed at Kat's head and followed through with a kick at her stomach. Kat avoided the first attack but was caught by the kick as she charged her shoulder into Irene's chest. They both landed hard on the floor, gasping. They glared at each other, Irene teleported away. Kat stayed on the floor, thinking.


	3. Part Three

Chapter 16 (Revenge) 

Alexis stood in the open dynasty gate starring down at the Ronin Mansion. A single tear ran down her left cheek and she quickly brushed it away just before a surge of pain or power, she couldn't really tell, seized her body and for a split second her eyes shone red. "I will defeat the Ronins." She told herself before making her way to the house in her full armor.

Chapter 17 (loosing battle)

Everyone sat down at the table to eat dinner. They were just starting to eat when a whisper was heard, carried in the wind. 

_Ronins… come out come out where ever you are. _

"That voice sounds familiar." Cye stated as they all got up from their chairs. 

"The Warlordesses! They're back!" Ryo summoned his sub- armor and the rest followed suit. 

When they walked out onto the back porch they found the Warlordess known as Snow Storm standing in the center of the yard her sword held tightly in her left hand.

"Where's your friends?" Kento asked angrily. She was interrupting his dinner. 

"What friends? I have no friends." Her voice rang with a deadly tone. 

"Ronins to arms!" Ryo called and soon they all stood in their mystic armors ready for battle. 

Alexis took the first strike using her sure kill. "SNOW STORM BLAST!" All the Ronin Warriors jumped from the path of the attack unhurt. Unfortunately the house wasn't so lucky. Once again they would have to rebuild before Mia and Yuli got home. 

"FLARE UP NOW!" Ryo called, Alexis jumped out of the way of the fatal blast. 

"You'll have to do better then that." She sneered. 

"How about this then! THUNDER BOLT CUT!" The attack was faster then she had expected, and Alexis was thrown back to hit several trees before coming to a stop. Hesitantly she got off the ground and stood infront of the Ronins. 

"That's the only hit you'll get on me." She yelled, pulling out her Snow Storm Daggers. "ICE DAGGERS FLY!" 

Kento was fed up, he wanted to eat! "all right my turn!" 

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!" Alexis's eyes widened in horror as she realized her mistake of not dodging the attack in time. She weakly lifted her head from the rubble, her shaky hand trying to grab a hold of something but it was useless. She had been very badly damaged, reluctantly she let her head fall to the ground in despair her body crushed beneath the boulders.

Chapter 18 (Unwanted help)

"Need any help?" Mocked Kat, appearing beside the rubble and Alexis. She shook her head and her Blue/silver streaks shimmered. "I don't think you can get anything right!"

"Do you guys always bicker?" asked Cye, who was beginning to get a headache.

"Why don't I kill you, then you won't have to listen!" Called Irene, who had appeared behind them in her own dark forest green armor with horns on her helmet that looked like branches of a tree. "And for dynasty's sake go find something better to do then beating my friend here into the dust. That's our job!" She smiled sarcastically as she raised her staff with deadly sharp blades on either side ready to attack the nearest Ronin.

Alexis dug herself from the pile of boulders. "You didn't have to come and help me!" She yelled at Irene and Kat. "After all, what does it matter if I die?" She asked bitterly. 

Irene narrowed her eyes in scorn and disbelief but said nothing.

Instead, she charged toward Cye, the sharp silver blade a hair's width away from nicking his neck, and continued to thrust him backwards.

"Yeah, we can see how much of a start you've gotten!" jeered Kat. "Armor of Wind Storm! Dou Aichaku!" A momentary burst of rose petals left Kat standing in her armor. The wings stretched out and shone for a moment before she shot into the sky, and turned to face the Ronins on the ground. "We are going to destroy you all! Even if our comrade isn't up to it herself!"

Sage threw a punch at the battered Alexis. She returned with a kick to his stomach. "Do you boys ever give up? You've already been defeated. Don't waste your time." She scoffed. 

He said nothing, only continued to strike out at the warrior before him. 

"It's a good thing you won't be alive much longer." 

Meanwhile Irene was still beating Cye and Kat was moving on to Rowen. Kat's light green eyes had a predatory gleam in them, moving on toward her kill. 

"Do you know what one of my most favorite fighting tactics is?" She asked slyly as she kept walking toward him after re-landing on the ground, "Crushing the brain of the group first!" she screamed tripping him with her foot. Rowen fell clumsily on his back as she drew her swords from her metal wings to finish him off.

Both Ryo and Kento had been badly injured by the Warlordess of Deep Forest from an aerial attack. Cye breathed heavily as he asked, "Why did you join the dynasty?" 

"I have my reasons," she said shortly, as she continued to attack him. 

"Don't you know what your doing is wrong? They're the ones who are evil!" cried Cye. Irene's eyes widened for a moment 

"How can you say that? You're the one that's evil!" Her eyes narrowed quickly in determination. 

"What?" gasped Cye in utter bewilderment. The fight raged on, the two realizing they were almost evenly matched, in fact they would have been perfectly matched had it not been for one thing, Irene had managed to pierce his armor right by his heart. Blood started to drip from between plates of protection but the two continued to fight on.

Sage fell to the ground clenching his stomach, while Alexis stepped back and readied her nodachi for the final strike.

__

You stupid, bickering, girls! Come back to the dynasty NOW! All of you. Bademon' evil voice echoed through the scene of the battle with the Ronins. 

"As you wish master." Irene said lowering her eyes. 

"No, I've almost destroyed Halo. Let me finish!" Alexis demanded, angry that he had chosen this time to call them back. 

__

No!

Alexis stored her nodachi on her back and teleported to the throne room leaving only Kat. 

Rowen was gasping for air a few feet from Kat. She smirked and sheathed her swords back onto her wings. Rowen charged her as fast as he could, but just before he reached her, she disappeared. Her last words remained.

"_See ya, Strata!"_

Chapter 19 (punishment) 

The Warlordesses kneeled down in front of Bademon. The evil spirit looked down upon theme with a deep scowl.

"You have failed!"

"We know, we're sorry. Please, give us another chance!" Cried Kat.

"You don't deserve it! I gave you strong armors, stronger then the Ronins!" Black lightning shot out and enveloped them at his words. The power surged through them at an incredible intensity, they bearly had time to cry out before they had passed out.

They began to come-to and found themselves chained to the dark walls of the nether dungeon. Their wrists and ankles bound together by chains.

"Kat? Irene?" called Alexis groggily.

"Why are we in the dungeon?" asked Kat.

"I hear spirits!" Irene spoke in a quiet, worn out voice. Her words seemed to provoke a new onslaught. The negative energy flowed into them, and though the pain was intense, it did not knock them out. Through their screams they could hear Bademon's words winding through their minds.

"_I will give you one more chance. You will take on the Ronins now that they are weakened. Take out the leader first before he calls on the Inferno armor. Don't come back before you kill them, or it will be your lives that are lost. You aren't important as long as the armors are strong!"_

Chapter 20 (A Great Battle)

The Ronins were sitting in the living room talking, but avoiding the topic of the Warlordesses. They were startled by a blast of light outside that almost blinded those facing the window. The light faded and the window shattered into frozen pieces. After a stunned moment, the Ronins all raced outside. Ryo and Kento reached the door first, and were hit head-on by the blast from Kat's and Irene's attacks.

"Come out and fight Ronins!" jeered Alexis, her armor shining in the afternoon sun. Cye helped Ryo to stand as they called upon their full armors. 

"SNOW STORM BLAST!" The attack hit Sage full strength.

"DUDE, they're juiced!" Kento exclaimed. His mouth hitting the frozen ground resounded with a thud. 

Sage slowly rose to his feet. Rowen concentrated his attack on Irene.

"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!" The attack flew at her but using the blade to her staff Irene hit the ball of energy back towards Ryo. Ryo jumped over the attack and charged Kat. Their swords met and they entered a flurry of parries, thrusts, and swipes. 

Irene charged Kento with her staff, point first. Kento blocked quickly and twisted around, stabbing for her gut. He hit home… and she didn't even flinch.

"What in the-" he began, before Irene delivered a strong strike to his jaw that sent him flying into Cye.

Rowen meanwhile fought off the dynasty soldiers, giving the others room to fight the Warlordesses. 

Alexis had taken on Sage and Cye at once, dodging their attacks and hitting at their backs with her nodachi. When Kento landed on Cye, she took the opportunity to kick Sage savagely in the back and push him onto Kento and Cye. She quickly turned and attacked the heap of tangled bodies. Alexis pulled the Snow Daggers from her sides. 

"ICE DAGGERS FLY!" She smiled grimly as they screamed in pain.

Kat had fought Ryo back toward the house. He only had a few feet between him and the remains of a wall, and Kat was pressing back viciously. 

"You try so hard to survive, don't you know it's useless Ryo of the Wild Fire?" Kat laughed a vicious yet sweet smile. 

"We'll never give up." Ryo sneered. 

"Foolish Ronin, we offer you a way out, join us and you live. If not then you'll have to die. My life will not be lost!" She screamed and charged the few feet left between them with her twin Katanas drawn infront of her. 

Irene dodged another one of Rowen's attacks, who had finished with the soldiers. 

Chapter 21 (Switching sides)

__

If you do not destroy the Ronin's you will be the ones to die. The words that Bademon had spoken before they left the dynasty echoed in each of their minds. Alexis was beginning to loose her battle with Sage and Rowen. Irene had managed to wedge a hidden dagger into the plates of armor on Kento's leg and he was limping, but still fighting. Kat had lost a sword in the fight with Ryo and suddenly found herself at a disadvantage. Ryo charged her, forcing her to jump over his head to get out of the way. She dashed over to her fallen sword and retrieved it with a flourish.

The Warlordesses stood back-to-back in the middle of the yard. The Ronin Warriors advanced on them, driving them even closer together. 

Alexis looked on the advancing enemy, terrified of the truth. They had lost this fight. They were too tired, too badly injured, and had nowhere to go. The best they could hope for was a quick death, of which they would never recieve from Bademon. Alexis's nodatchi dropped wearily from her hand.

Irene pulled her helmet off before facing the Ronins again. It dissolved into a puff of petals.

"Irene! What are you doing?" Exclaimed Kat.

"It's either them or us, you remember what Bademon said. I at least would rather go quickly." She replied.

"She's right, Kat…" said Alexis, trailing off. She pulled her helmet off as well.

"But we're not _going_ to loose! We can beat them! We're, we're the Warlordesses!" Said Kat, who was beginning to panic.

Cye and Sage were in shock. (I mean the kind _of standing there with your mouth hanging open_ kind of shock here!)

"Alex?" Gasped Sage. "Wha- you're, you're a warlord?!"

"Rene?" Was all Cye managed. Rowen stared at the other two and at the revealed faces of the Warlordesses. Now Rowen is not one to over-look the obvious, and he's not exactly blind either…

"Katy? Your Katy aren't you!" He called. Kats eyes grew soft for a moment, then hardened as she tugged her helmet off.

"Took you long enough blue-boy!" She crossed her swords and screamed "WINDS OF FURY!" as she rushed him, he braced himself for the hit. The hit didn't come. Rowen opened his eyes to see that the attack had shot to the side barely missing him. Kat was standing infront of him about 7 feet away gasping with her swords in the ground. Irene and Alexis were looking at her from either side with looks of dejection. 

"Come on guys, we won't loose! If you won't help I'll destroy them by myself!" Kat yelled. Alexis and Irene looked to Sage and Cye. 

"We don't work for Bademon anymore." Alexis said solemnly. 

"We'd rather stay here. Where we really belong." 

"You can join us too, Katy." Rowen said. "With your help we wouldn't have any problem destroying Bademon for good."

"No, I work for Bademon and always will." Kat yelled. She turned around and ran into the woods disappearing into the dark shadows of the night. 


	4. Part Four

Chapter 22 (Doubts)

Kat stood staring at the rushing waters of a stream deep in the forest. She stared down at her distorted reflection, at the short blond hair, and the almost painfully obvious blue streaks gracing two for-locks of hair.

"I serve Bademon, but if I go back, he'll kill me. He made that clear. But I can't beat all of them! I could try to pick them off, but eventually one of them would get me!" she sat down and stared at the light blue sub armor she wore. "So now what?" 

She turned and walked into the dense forest covering. Selecting a thick-trunked tree, she climbed up and settled herself in a high branch. Staring up at the moon and stars, she thought long and deeply.

She awoke to the sun shining into her eyes as it peeked over the edges of the forest. She hugged herself, partly from the cold of the morning dew, and partly from the sudden rush of memories of her dream. 

"Rowen, gods I was dreaming of him!" She thought to herself. As she made her way down from the tree, she caught the sound of voices carried on the wind. They were already up. She turned and ran in the opposite direction, away from the voices and deeper into the woods. For most of the day she moved senselessly through the forest, half thinking about all the things that had happened to her. Finally she saw the sun setting, causing long dark shadows to fall from every tree and bush. 

Sighing, she steeled herself mentally and began to slowly walk toward the house. She didn't see any other choice, or any other way to be happy, then being with them. Being among her friends and…him. 

 Chapter 23 (Angry Words)

Alexis and Irene sat on the porch steps starring at the woods. They had banished their sub-armors and were wearing their cloths signifying, ironically, their status in the Dynasty. 

"Irene…"

"Yeah." 

"Do you think she'll ever join us? She has to know that she can't serve Bademon now. He'll kill her if she doesn't kill us." 

"I hope she will." Irene said softly.

"I feel so stupid." Tears started down her face.

"Why?" Irene looked at her quizzically.

"I don't know, for betraying my heart. I knew it was wrong what I was doing. I should have fought harder against Bademon." 

"Fought harder, is that possible? I don't think it is. From what I remember of the experience you fought as hard as you could. That night when they tortured you all night, non stop. You survived that, you fought as hard as you could." 

Sage and Cye walked out onto the porch behind the two girls who looked up at them, then stood on the second to last step facing the two solemn men. 

"You lied to us from the very beginning." Sage said. 

"Sage, what could you possibly expect…" Alexis whispered. 

"You have to understand!" Yelled Irene at the two young men.

"Sage, you made me remember! You're eyes... they saved me. I couldn't admit to that though, if I had I would have been killed rather then tortured! If you don't understand the consequences that would have come upon me for saying that I had fallen… in love with the enemy… Bademon would have killed me." 

"What about you Irene, why did you lie to me?" Cye had an unusually icy stare on his face.  

"Cye… you baka, you think the consequences would have been any different for me if I had said that I _had_ fallen for you!"  She calmly stared into his eyes continuing, "I'm sorry to cause you any pain Cye of the Torrent, but the way I acted was only pretend. I did it for the dynasty, and no more. I don't know what's going on with me right now. I need to figure it out, but I can tell you all now, I am not going to rejoin the Dynasty," and with that she turned away from Cye and would not look at him.

Alexis looked into Sages eyes and saw the contempt he held for her at the moment. "Forget it Irene, they don't understand. They don't understand the lives we led before we became Warlordesses, that made us believe everything they told us. They'll never understand." Alexis pushed past the two young men and ran up to the room that Ryo had shown her to. Irene followed suit.  

Chapter 24 (Departing Phantom)

Alexis tossed and turned in her sleep, her body felt on fire. Flames so hot as to burn the skin from her bones. She was so hot that her sweat dried on her flesh without providing relief from the heat. Her mind wouldn't let her wake up. She was trapped in the dreams. Bruises and cuts appeared on her skin where there had been none. The screams never left her throat. 

The blackness inside her that had pushed back her soul was rising, unable to keep its hold on her. The spell that had been performed was powerless. The Dyanasty was loosing. Finally, Alexis shot awake and the spirit left her. It floated infront of her before vanishing into the night. 

Getting up from the soiled bed, covered in blood, she made her unsteady way to the bathroom where she grabbed a cloth and began cleaning her wounds.

Irene again could not sleep, it wasn't what she had said to Cye. She had to be honest with him, and she could not feel sorry for him but… There was a burning, a throbbing inside of her. Sweat began to drip from her head and her hands became clamy. She knew something was about to happen… she abrutly got up from the bed throwing the covers off her hot legs. 

She began to get up, but suddenly it came… the same searing pain as before. She could hear some sort of gurgling coming from within her, she felt like she was going to cough up blood or some hot liquid that seemd to boil inside her. The pain was very intense, God! She was in so much pain! She felt the trembling come over her lips, she wanted to scream, she couldn't, she couldn't scream… but… it hurt so much! Finally she fell to the floor crying in agony as she felt something erupt from inside her. 

She couldn't contain it within her any more. She fell to the floor and let out a scream. A massive shadow came forth from her body leaving Irene crumpled on the floor. The shadow was a black mist that made a sound like an evil laugh as it floated through the open window. 

Alexis came bursting through the bedroom door. Sweat also covered her face and she held a small cloth to her side. "Irene, are you alright?" She asked going up to her friend who lay on the floor. Alexis began to wipe away some of the sweat.

The guys all came running into the room to see the two friends, Irene laying on the floor and Alexis hovering over her. 

"What's going on?!" Asked Ryo. 

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing we can't handle on our own. Go away and leave us alone for now. That's the only thing you can do." Alexis turned and gave them an icy stare and she spoke these words in an enraged tone of voice. 

Everyone but Cye backed away from the INCREDIBLY angry warlordess, and went back to bed. Cye stood in the doorway for several minutes before going back to bed himself. Alexis just sat beside her trembling friend.  

Chapter 25 (Insanity is a girl's best friend)

Irene moaned weakly as her eyes fluttered open to the bright sunlight. 'Everyone must be up by now' she thought as she turned and looked toward the clock. She vauguely remembered what had happened last night. "I'm free…" she mumbled "Free from the presence. Rosalie…" She remembered… Then she threw her head back into the pillows and laughed a long, hallow, maniacal laugh.

Later Cye walked into the kitchen to start making a snack for Kento. Startled to see Irene up and about, making herself some brunch. Her dark brown/black hair was a mess, more strands than usual dangling in her face and still in her pajama's. She was frying two eggs in the pan when he went toward her. She spun around and with a peculiar look in her eyes. "Stay back!" she hissed. Cye now relized what the peculiar look was… insanity. Cye began to say something but was cut off as he ducked as the frying pan came swiping past his head. "Heeehehhaa! I know what happened now.." She said in a deranged whisper. 

"Wha-?" Cye began, but was interuppted a second time but luckily not with a kitchen untensil. 

"Don't you see?" she giggled. "The dynasty tricked me from the beginning, when I was happy in Italy With Mama Marie and Rosalie and I thought what I was doing was right, but they tricked me good all right. Then I figured it out and then I was possed by the mist…the damn mist… but now I'm free… free!" she said as she gave a silly grin at him and stepped forward toward him and reached out a hand. Cye flinched as she slammed her palm down to get the toast. 

"Irene… I think you-," 

"Hush now," she whispered putting a finger to his lips. "The Shadow is gone." She happily skipped out of the kitchen. All Cye could do for a minute was stand there. He quickly snapped out of his trance and ran the other way to warn everybody of Irene's errrrr... little problem.

Chapter 26 (To remember)

Irene smiled in satisfaction at the broken pieces of the vase that decorated the floor in an obscure pattern. After she had finished eating she had felt like smashing something, destroying something.

Everyone rushed down the stairs, Cye in the lead and Alexis behind them. They all stopped in surprise as they saw a dishelved figure come toward them. She narrowed her eyes at them.                   

"What do you want?" she asked in a hiss. 

"What are you doing?!" asked a concerned Sage. 

"Making the floor pretty," she said, smiling strangely. "Pretty. Like lots of flowers in a garden, unlike the world full of chaos and destruction and cruel, mean people. All in their own little place," she said as she stepped toward them, her feet getting cut by the broken pieces of the vase. 

Alexis frowned at Irene and studied her closely then decidedly walked up to her and… * Smack!* Irene stumbled backward but didn't lose her balance. She turned her head back toward the group, there was a sharp red outline of where the hand had struck. She stood woosily for a moment and then mumbled. "That wasn't very nice," and then collapsed into a heap on the couch. 

"That is one crazy babe," Kento exclaimed wide-eyed.

  ***

Everyone was huddled around the girl that lay on the couch. The room was silent. Rowen was the first to speak. 

"Alexis, I think I should ask you what we should have asked you last night. What has happened to Irene?" There was a long pause for a moment. 

"The spirits... have left us." She said slowly. "Last night their hold on us was lost."

"Then I would guess that…she's this way from shock," concluded Sage. 

"Well if that's the case, it's only temporary, right?" Asked an anxious Ryo. 

"Let's hope so…" sighed Cye. 

"Yeah," agreed Alexis. "This definitely is not like Irene."

Irene woke up again. She put her hand to her hot cheek only to pull it away quickly from a painful sting. "Damn, what the hell happened to me?" she muttered. 

"Awake?" 

She jumped startled by the fact that someone was there infact, everyone was there.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" asked Ryo. All the Ronins were cautious around her after witnessing the earlier events of the day. 

"Yeah I do, I guess, thanks for slapping me Alexis," she smiled wearily. "But… I remember everything… all of it before what Bademon did to me. That shadow that left, that evil spirit that controlled me… and when I was in Italy when I found the armor and…"

Alexis pushed her back down on the couch. "You can tell us the entire thing later but right now you need some rest." Irene was about to resist but tiredly nodded and fell back against the pillow and closed her eyes. Everyone went into the other room. Cye stopped for a minute looking at the now sleeping figure of Irene, a thin strand of Black, silver and green hair in her face. As she yawned he rubbed the back of his head, one thing was for sure he'd never look at a frying pan the same way again.

Chapter 27 (Out to Eat)

Irene stood at her bedroom window. The memories were coming back to her. Memories of her home in Italy, of Rosalie, of Mama Marie, and her delicious spaghetti. The small bunny Rosalie had shoved into her face that day. Everything, the day she got her armor, that day, she left her only family.

           "I must destroy Bademon." She said quietly. "I'm coming for you Bademon. I'll destroy you!" She shouted. 

"Irene lunch is done!" Came Rowen's voice from down the stairs. By time Irene walked out of the room Alexis had already started down the stairs. 

"Hey Alexis." 

"Hey what?" Alexis turned around to look at her friend standing at the top of the stairs. 

"Let's go out to eat." 

"Out? Why?" 

"Because, we can celebrate the fact that we no longer have to worry about what Bademon is going to say about us failing any more missions." Irene said with a smile. 

"K, let's go out to eat. Hey guys, we're not going to eat here tonight. We'll be back soon." Alexis grabbed her jacket.

Chapter 28 (Coming Back)

Ryo was looking out the kitchen window to the back yard as he slowly sipped his glass of tea. The sun was slowly setting and many thoughts drifted through his mind. 

A figure slowly emerged from the darkness of the trees. It was walking to the house. The sun hit the figure just right so that, as she slowly exited the shadows, her blond hair and green eyes were startling clear. 

Ryo immediately jumped from his chair, causing it to fall to the floor and his cup to knock over. 'What is she doing here? Is she against us?' His mind swirled.

Kat walked steadily forward. She saw the Ronins walk solemnly out into the yard and stand in a line in their sub armors. She wondered briefly why Alexis and Irene weren't with them. When she was close enough to see the challenging spark in each of their eyes, she stopped, and stared at them coldly. For a long moment they watched each other in silence. Kat had to fight to keep from calling up a powerful tornado to sweep them all away.

Rowen stepped forward. "Why are you back?" She collapsed to her knees on the ground, something inside her trembling. She was weak when she couldn't fight. She hadn't ever realized how much she depended on the physical strength she had inherited from her dad, and the mental strength from her mom. She was weak now that she couldn't fight against them. And she was weak against him, too.

When she dropped to the ground and hung her head, the Ronins dropped their guard in surprise. This would be the time to- no! She had to stop thinking that way! She had to keep reminding herself that they were no longer the enemy. But something inside was pushing her, commanding her to hurt them. Rowen took a step toward her, and a sudden panic came over her. What was going on? What wanted her to go against her friends so badly!?

She gasped as a searing hot pain raced all up and down her body, then she collapsed. A dark shadow rose slowly, reluctantly from her form, only to be waved away by Rowen as he stooped over her. Turning slightly, he looked over at his friends with a questioning glance. Hearing no protests, he gently picked up the unconscious Warlordess and carried her into the house to recover.

Chapter 29 (Reunion)

When Alexis and Irene returned they were surprised to find all of the Ronins sitting around quietly looking quite confused. 

 The look on Alexis's face was enough as she allowed Irene to move into the room. 

"A friend of yours visited today, she's resting." Ryo didn't look up from the floor. 

Irene and Alexis gave each other a quick glance.   
          "Kat." They said in unison. 

"Where is she?" Irene asked, a look of both confusion and happiness scrolled 

across her face.

"She's upstairs in the last bedroom available." Sage didn't look up though he could feel Alexis's eyes starring at him with a touch of sadness written deep within their soft hazel color. 

They rushed up the stairs and barely knocked before pushing the door open. Inside Kat was standing at the window.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed, resting?" questioned Irene.

"Hello to you too." Kat answered softly, not turning to look at them. "And don't ask stupid questions when it's obvious why I'm here."

Alexis sighed and moved to stand next to her. "Nice to have you with us again, anyway."

"The three storms are together again." Added Irene.

"Is anyone here hungry?" asked Kat suddenly. "Because I haven't been fed since I got here!"

"You're starting to sound like Kento!" laughed Irene. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 31 (Battle planning)**

"So now what do we do?" Kat asked absently.

"Well now that we've regained our memories, I know there is one thing I want to do," said Irene. click Alexis sheathed her nodachi in response, "Destroy Bademon."

"We need to make out plans for doing that before we actually try it," Kat stated.

"The last thing we need to do is jump in head first into a battle with Bademon," Irene remarked, looking down at a sketch she had absentmindedly drawn on a napkin.

She smiled sadly at it before she crumpled it in her hand and tossed it to the floor. No one else seemed to notice.

"Well, do we blow him up or cut his head off," asked Kat jokingly.

"How about both, we can cut his head off, then blow him up.," Alexis said. A grin went across her face as she thought of the pain she could inflict upon Bademon.

"Right, but then we have to get close enough without getting ourselves blown up. And figure out how to hurt him. Last I remember swords didn't work to well on spirits."

"True, but where there's a will there is a way," Irene said. "But um, why don't we ask the Ronins?" Irene turned to the five young men who were just sitting there staring at the girls.

"Well, they hadn't said anything yet so I figured we had an audience." Kat turned to the guys. "Well? You guys have any ideas?" Kento turned to Cye and whispered in his ear. "They're not even with the dynasty any more and they're still Mocho Chicks bent on world destruction!"

"I heard that," Alexis said throwing a pillow at him from the couch she was sitting on.

"And besides, we're not bent on world destruction anymore. We're bent on Bademon destruction." Irene said looking at Kento with an evil sort of smile. Cye immediately recognized it from that temporary case of insanity that had plagued her just a short while ago.

"We're Warlordesses, we're supposed to be violent when we're talking about fighting," Kat said proudly. "But should we get back to the battle planning? How do we get in the castle for one?"

"What do you think Rowen, Sage? You two are supposed to be the genius's when it comes to the planning of battles." Irene looked at the blue haired and blond haired boys.

"Wait, don't you guys remember? There are three main entrances that are heavily guarded."

"Yeah, but how are we supposed to get through all the guards," Irene asked.

"There's a secret entrance that isn't guarded." Alexis stated.

"Hey, I just got the most wonderful idea! Since we have our way into the castle now, supposedly, why don't we not simply kill Bademon, but plague him for a while," Exclaimed Kat.

"How do you mean?" Alexis asked a very worried and confused expression on her face.

"Hehehe, I mean, let's tick him off. What are all the small things you know that always made him mad? He has his morning coffee with sugar in it, so we sneak salt in instead! I just want to get him so mad he doesn't know what he's doing."

"That or we could make him mad and he could kill us all that much easier." Kento stated quietly to himself.

"I heard that too!" Alexis threw a pop can at Kento.

"I think it sounds fun. And besides, have you ever known anyone with super powers to know what they're doing when there's steam coming out their ears," questioned Irene, who was starting to warm to Kat's devilish sense of humor.

"But you still need to get into and out of the castle, probably more than once," said Ryo.

"That's what you guys are for." Alexis looked at the five young men of whom suddenly all had a look of fear as to what was going to happen to them. "You can be the diversion while we sneak in."

"Say WHAT?" Yelled Kento.

"No way!" Yelled Sage.

"Man, I think they're just acting like they're not still evil," mumbled Rowin.

"What do you mean, Rowin," asked Kat innocently. "Don't you like us?"

**Chapter 32 (annoyances)**

Bademon's voice boomed and echoed through the giant stone castle. "Dynasty soldiers report to the throne room NOW!" In an instant over fifty soldiers appeared before their master. Bademon began to grumble something to his warriors before bellowing, "Find them, find them now!" The soldiers dispersed leaving their fuming master behind.

(a few minutes later)

Three young girls hid in a cave just outside of the dynasty palace.

"He's awfully mad Kat, what did you take from him?" Irene asked.

"Oh, just this little static electricity thingy." Kat pulled out a large glass ball with blue, green, and pink bolts of static electricity surging through it. Kat put her hand on it and her hair stuck into the air, "Cool" she giggled.

Both Alexis and Irene just stared for a couple of minutes before falling over laughing. Irene thought to her self, Look how much we've changed after leaving the dynasty, I am my old self once again, were Kat and Alexis the same way before we met each other, till that one-day when I found my armor?

"So," Kat said changing seriously once again, (after a major effort of smoothing down her hair), "what should we do next?"

"Oh, I think I've got an idea," cooed Alexis with a mischievous grin.

Bademon stepped out of the shower, a towel on his head. He walked over to the mirror to admire himself before getting ready for the day ahead of planning on how to obtain world destruction. He slowly towel dried his hair before removing the towel. His eyes went wide when he saw the horror that lay beneath, his hair, it was PINK! His greenish skin went pale and his eyes bugged out in disbelief.

"ALEXIS THAT WRETCHED GIRL! SHE DID THIS TO ME! SHE SHALL PAY FOR HER INSULENCE!" As Bademon angrily stormed out of the room he slipped on a bar of soap. Angrily, he picked himself up as flames grew in his eyes.

In a small cave a few miles from the castle, three ex-warladies laughed in hysterics as they watched the scene through a small glass orb.

"You've done it now Alexis." Irene got out between her laughter.

"You dyed his hair pink, his precious hair. He's sooooo pissed, you're gonna get it, if he catches you that is." Kat tried to stop laughing.

"Yeah, key word being if he can catch me." Alexis looked with laughter in her eyes at the fuming spirit with bright pink hair. "How do you like my calling card Bademon." She said into the ball.

The voice echoed through Bademon's mind. "Wretched, wretched girl!" He snarled.

Kat came up and looked into the sphere. "I know you are, but what is she?" She asked amusingly.

"You Warlordesses will PAY!" He said menacingly. Irene was next to look into the sphere to say her part in torturing Bademon. "Yeah, sure master," She said in a sarcastic tone of voice, "That's if you can catch us."

"YOU'LL PAY!"

The vision faded as the girls put the orb into a large bag.

"So, what shall we do next?"

"Plan on how we're going to destroy his sorry ass." Kat looked at the suddenly serious Warlordesses.

**Chapter 33 (midnight moon)**

Irene chuckled to herself as she recalled the pranks they had pulled on Bademon. It may have been silly but it sure had been a lot of fun. But the games and jokes were over now, soon they'd begin to get serious. She was sitting outside on a ledge of the huge mansion, the sun had set many hours earlier and now the full moon shone bright like a pearl in the sea of beautiful blue fabric of night, with a few glittering diamond stars beginning to appear. As much as she loved Kat and Alexis, sometimes she needed to be alone, just to think. So she let her mind wander, her eyes on the horizon.

When a hand touched her shoulder she jumped two feet into the air surprised by the disturbance. For a minute her heart beat very fast as she looked at the silhouette of a person that she could not recognize until her eyes adjusted to the light. It turned out to be Cye. Irene turned back around embarrassed. For a long moment neither one spoke.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you," said Cye slowly. Irene wasn't sure what to say. Ever since the moment she had told him that her affections were pretend they had both avoided each other. All the other Ronins she was very comfortable with. She and Sage would admire the forest, Rowen would share his books with her, Kento would have eating contests with her and remark that she could cook just as good as Cye, even Ryo would play basketball with her! But Cye and her would barely murmur "Hi" in the hallways.

"No, it's alright," she finally answered. Cye timidly sat down next to her. For some reason she now felt awful.

"I.. I'm sorry if I hurt you." She said rather quickly. Cye blinked for a few minutes before shaking his head

"No, it's alright Irene, at the time I was angry, it was wrong of me to be ignorant of your situation." He said apologetically, then quickly changed the subject. "So what are you looking at?" He asked gazing in her direction.

"The moon," she said wistfully.

"Why?" He asked curiously. For some reason Irene wanted to tell him.

"Because when I'm lonely it makes me feel better. It's so peaceful, so tranquil, so beautiful, floating in a sea of stars..." she blushed as she realized she must sound extremely pathetic, especially to someone who barely knew her. But Cye smiled in complete understanding, his face lit up by the moon.

"That's how I feel about the sea," he sighed lying on his back. "I go there to sort out my thoughts, especially when I'm mad or something."

"Cye do you think I'm boring?" Irene queried.

"Huh?" He asked, bewildered by the question.

"It must sound incredibly stupid, I know," she said. "But I've wondered since you never really talk to me and..." If Irene could have seen Cye in the dark she would have seen a crimson blush, spread through Cye's cheeks to his ears, that would rival Ryo's armor color.

"Not at all," he whispered quietly. The two continued to watch the moon for several more hours.

**Chapter 34 (Unspoken Feelings)**

The fireplace roared as Alexis sat on the comfy couch reading one of Rowen's books on Astrology. Sage walked into the room and sat down quietly in one of recliners all the way on the other side of the room. The two ignored each other the way they had since Alexis and the other two girls had joined forces with them to defeat Bademon.

Alexis threw a quick glance at Sage and saw that he was silently staring at her over his cup of tea. Sage quickly looked away and Alexis turned back to her book. 'Sage is such a stubborn fool, if only he would apologize like a true man.' Alexis thought. 'Why can't he just realize what everyone else has found out already. We had no choice in the matter. We were possessed.'

Sage looked up again at Alexis but turned to the fire place within a few seconds. 'She had a choice in whether or not to follow Bademon... didn't she? If only she would talk to me. Is she still mad at me for what happened that first night she was back?'

"Sage," Alexis whispered. "Could you put some more wood in the fire, it's getting chilly in here." She said coldly.

"I happen to think it's rather warm in here."

"I don't care what you think, I'm cold." Sage got up and put more wood in the fire then headed up stairs to bed. 'A demanding brat, that's what she is. She's got some nerve speaking to me like that.' Sage's eyes grew soft. 'A demanding brat that I happen to be in love with. What a life this is, can't even find a girl that doesn't have to do with the dynasty. There has got to be some way for me to live a more normal life.' He thought exasperated.

**Chapter 35 (Kat Concedes)**

Kat sat snug among the deep pillows of the window seat in the study. The open book in her lap was forgotten as she stared blankly out into the rain. Though deep training prevented her from starting, she was snapped back to reality as the door opened. In the reflection of the window she saw the Star warrior walk up and study the books on one shelf, quietly ignoring her. She seethed inwardly and tried to remember what had been projecting itself on the rain in her minds' eye. But she could not forget that he was in the room.

She was deeply aware of his presence and hated herself for it.

Finally, she turned and watched as he scanned a shelf a second time, pausing where there was an empty space in the well-stocked line. "Looking for this?" she asked blandly, holding up the Moorcock novel she had attempted to finish reading. He nodded and she closed the book and held it out to him in as casual a manner as she could manage. She forcefully repressed a shiver as he took the proffered book.

Pausing as he turned, their eyes met, and she again plunged into the blue depths of the star warrior's eyes. Beautiful, deep, horrible because she knew, whenever she looked, she would find exactly what she had been trying to escape since they first met. He was almost out the door when she opened her mouth and managed a soft sob.

"Wait." She tried again, but faired no better and making a strong sound. She cursed herself and struggled out of the warm embrace of pillows as he turned and looked at her expectantly. 'Damn' she thought. 'Now I'm committed, I have to keep going. Why doesn't the human language have a word for 'I'm sorry, forgive me, I love you, but don't forget I could beat you any day of the week!'

"Kat?" he asked patiently. Again she cursed herself for having called out. She nervously stepped up to him. She looked up into his eyes, again plunging into the blue depth no matter how hard she tried to resist it.

"I'm- I'm sorry, I." She couldn't finish. There was too much to say, even if he did know what she wanted to say. The tears in her eyes couldn't let her see his face well enough to know if he understood. She braced herself and did the only thing she could think of. She leaned forward and kissed him, however weakly, on the lips.

She was too shocked to move or resist as his arm wrapped around her waist almost instantly, as if he had been expecting it. He pressed her close, prolonging the kiss and deepening it. Finally, she felt time returning to her bewildered senses as he released her and she took a startled and shaky step back.

"You've never had to deal with affection and love before, have you?" It was almost an accusation as he said it, his eyes sparkling with some strange hidden emotion similar to what was fluttering within her stomach. She glared at him and tried to set herself in a defensive stance, but he turned and left. She stared after him a moment before collapsing to the floor. She hugged her knees to her chest and tried vainly to stop confused tears as the door slowly closed on spring hinges, blocking out the sight of the retreating blue angel.

**Chapter 36 (A Walk in the Rain)**

Kento groaned as he looked at the window "Oh great, it's raining, now I have to stay inside!" Pouting on the sofa, Kento looked more like an overgrown child than ever. Rowen rolled his eyes as he looked over his book at the grumbling figure clutching his stomach. "Cye I'm hungry!"

"Kento, you're always hungry, (what's new?), so stop whining so I can finish this book will ya." Rowen retorted.

Sage walked down the stairs, his hair unusually screwed up, grumbling to himself, incoherently, about how because of the rain he couldn't go out side and meditate. Ryo followed suit, also griping about how awful the rain was.

Cye on the other hand was going through their empty refrigerator. _(AN: Kaylee: Yeah, I spelled that last word right without spell check:singing: Celebrate good times come on! Noin: ehehehheheeh, on with the story!)_

"We're out of food again." Cye said in a whisper, not meaning for everyone to hear.

"KENTO!" All the guys turned to the whining Ronin laying on the couch.

"You ate all the food AGAIN!" Was all Ryo could get out.

"I was hungry." Kento said pouting.

"I'll go with you to get more groceries, Cye." Irene called turning from the window that she had been watching the rain from.

"Ummm ok, I guess..." he said turning slightly pink. He paused. "Uh guys... Mia took the car... didn't she?"

"Well I guess we'll have to walk then," grinned Irene grabbing an umbrella from the closet. They walked outside, Irene blissfully enjoying the rain hitting her face, she discarded the umbrella entirely, leaving it with a surprised Cye. "Come on!" She called laughing as she raced down the driveway.

"Are you okay Irene? Maybe you should stay here, I don't think you've entirely recovered from that small episode of insanity you had." Cye called after her a smile on his face.

"I'm perfectly fine Cye, now come on! Enjoy it while you can, after all, aren't you supposed to like the water, Mr. Torrent?" Cye ran to catch up with her. When he had, he caught her arm gently and turned her to face him.

Already soaked to no end, the two stared at each other for several moments. Cye lowered his lips to hers, gently, and ran his knuckles lightly against Irene's pale wet cheeks. She pulled away, looked up into Cye's eyes, before Cye's lips once again covered hers.

A million thoughts raced through Irene's head. As she tried to sort them all out Cye released her and started walking to the grocery. Irene ran to catch up.

"Hey, hold on a second," she breathed, gasping for air "Aren't you gonna say anything to me?" He looked at her for a moment and ran his hand through her damp hair. Cye held Irene close to him, leaning down once again. This time Irene leaned into him relaxing for a moment, forgetting everything.

"I didn't think I needed words. I love you," he said. She blinked several times, steadying her heartbeats, before replying.

"Well I guess that's saying something to me." She whispered a smile on her face. The two continued their walk hand in hand.

**Chapter 37 (Beneath the Willow and Cherry Blossom Tree's)**

Alexis sat in a high branch of a drooping willow tree staring into the sky. After awakening from a dreary-afternoon nap, she'd decided to sneak out her window and go into the woods. The Cherry Blossom trees were in bloom and she needed to get away from everything... even more so when it came to Sage.

The rain still fell but the branches of the ancient tree kept the cold drops from reaching her. Her attention was diverted from contemplation of the sky to someone walking along the forest floor, as leaves and twigs crunched under their feet...

"Sage..." She trailed off. The whisper was just soft enough so he wouldn't be able to hear it. "Sage," The whisper slowly grew stronger, a tremble could be detected, as she felt her heart beat faster and her breaths quicken while more and more butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "Sage, don't leave me!" She called out as tears dropped from her cheeks falling to the ground beneath.

Sage quickly turned around, looking for the source of the voice, when a figure dropped from an old willow. The figure quickly turned and ran, Sage had the feeling Alexis wanted him to follow her, so therefore... he did.

When she stopped they were standing in a field of Cherry Blossom trees all in perfect bloom, their soft silken petals spread apart creating a blanket of pink, white and faint red letting in only small patches of gray blue from the sky.

"Sage..." Her voice was back to a faint whisper. He walked over to her. Alexis retreated within herself trying to escape the look she saw in his violet eyes... the same look she had seen on the day they first met and sparred in the back room of the sword shop. It seemed like so very long ago. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't escape though.

Sage walked even closer and, quickly pulling her close to him, lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was sweet like sugar or honey. She didn't know any other way to explain it. She pushed herself away and stumbled back several steps before running to him and burying her face into his chest crying. Sage wrapped his arms around her. They stood like that for several minutes before he left her, standing in the field of Cherry Blossom trees with tears trickling down her cheeks.

Alexis hugged herself to block out the cold that didn't come from being outside but from the new lack of coldness in her heart and the lack of Sage's warm body when he held her, and his sweet kiss.

**Chapter 38 (Challenge Given)**

Cherry blossoms swirled lightly around them, though no trees of the sort grew in the nether realm. Eight warriors waited for their vision to clear from the shock of being sucked into the vortex and traveling across the dimensions. Though they had all been in different places, doing different things, feeling different sorrows, they had ended up here together. Bademon's voice flashed around them as the heat of desert in which they stood rose up to pull sweat from the brow.

"Mortals, and those immortal to age, you think you can defy me and intrude on my meditations. I choose the time and place if you would dare to challenge me. You will not win, by the laws of the universe, or by your own devices." The demon's voice faded and they were left in the swirling sand of the barren land far to the south of the castle.

"Man he makes me mad!" Cried Alexis, breaking the silence.

"He drags us out to the middle of the desert and expects us to run over and let him kill us!" Complained Kento. "He's got a thrashing coming, if only I could get my hands on him!"

"Cool off Kento. He didn't want us to be prepared. He's putting the odds in his favor." Reprimanded Sage calmly. They all looked about them, trying to figure what to do.

"So let's get out of here. Just because he dumped us here doesn't mean this is where we start." Stated Kat, who was scanning the sky as one hand searched in her pocket. She began to draw her hand out, as a blue flash enveloped her, and she stood moments later in her sub-armor, pale blue body enforced by the armored white plates. (inverse of the Ronin's which are white bodies with colored plates) Two more flashes and Irene and Alexis were similarly armored.

"What are you planning?" questioned Ryo, who was holding his own armor orb in a tight fist.

"Simple, we fly. The three of us can fly on our own." Kat indicated the three Warlordesses. "And between our energy and Rowen's we can create and energy bubble to support us all."

"Flying might be too dangerous. After all, it would be easier for him to spot us from the air. That's if he isn't already watching us." Stated Irene.

"True, I think we should walk." Alexis said.

"What about this heat?" Rowen asked.

"Easy, we have four people with armors that can be perfect relief sources from heat." Kat turned to look at Cye and the other two girls in turn.

"Snow, Water, Forest, and Wind. I think it would be best to use Snow." Sage looked at Alexis coldly.

_'What a jerk, right back to the cold way he treated me before.' Thought Alexis, 'He has some nerve.'_ "Guess that means it's up to me to keep all of you from dying of heat stroke. My armor keeps me cool anyway. I'll do what I can." Alexis called upon her full armor. "SNOW STORM BLAST!" A wave of cold turned the once burning desert into a vast, frozen tundra.

**Chapter 39 (First Attack)**

They'd been walking through the now cold desert for only half an hour when sudden thunder caught their attention. A dark storm loomed low on the horizon. Only it wasn't thunder.

"What's that?" asked Ryo as they halted and stared.

"Soldiers and spirits." Mumbled Irene. The shapes began to sharpen as they came into view. Animated suits of armor, carrying spears, pikes, swords, and tritons, in such numbers that their advance made a sound like the dull roar of the sea. Lesser spirits streaming along above them, darkening the sky.

"Armor up, looks like we've hit the first of the forces," called Rowen as they all pulled weapons from assorted holding places.

As the small army converged upon them, the first few fell swiftly. Suddenly surrounded by the pure numbers of the army, all eight warriors fought with vigor and began to work their way through the masses. Swords slashed and soldiers fell and even a few of the spirits were caught by swinging blades or weapons.

Once, when they were cornered within the mass of dynasty tin cans and spirits, they found themselves fighting back to back in pairs. Rowen and Kat, Ryo and Kento, Cye and Irene, and Alexis and Sage.

"If we don't finish them off soon we're going to be too weak to fight them!" Alexis shouted over the clanging of metal on metal.

"Leave that to us!" Shouted Ryo. He drew his tachi's together and yelled out his sure kill, the other Ronin's followed suite.

"FLARE UP NOW!"  
"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!"  
"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"  
"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"  
"THUNDERBOLT CUT!" The wave of energy swept over the soldiers in five directions, beams of deadly light, wiping out a good third of them.

"That wasn't enough Wild Fire." Kat said with a grin that mocked the young man. "Now it's our turn. WINDS OF FURY!"  
"FOREST VINE LASH!"  
"SNOW STORM BLAST!" This time the blasts swept out in huge wedges of destructive force, frying both soldiers and spirits where ever they touched. The warriors, with new adrenaline pumping from the show of power, finished off the last of the army and powered down to their sub-armors.

"That just isn't right, how can three armors take out a majority of soldiers when five can only talk out about a third?"

"We couldn't have taken them out that fast if it hadn't been for you guys taking out that one third first." Irene admitted.

"Are you kidding! We could easily have taken them out by ourselves by putting together our attacks." Kat boasted. Alexis just stood in silence staring at Sage, she still wondered why he had been so cold when they first got torn from their places and thrown into this desert. Even after their kiss. Sage evidently didn't realize that she was staring at him because he didn't even glance over at her.

Kat glanced at Alexis and noticed who she was staring at, then averted her gaze to Rowen who she found was returning her gaze. Kat looked at the ground beneath her feet and a crimson blush spread through her somewhat pale skin, which seemed paler in the cold climate of the vast tundra. Irene also noticed the look that Alexis was giving Sage, and felt herself grow mad that they couldn't be more adult. Irene threw a quick glance in Cye's direction then turned to speak to everyone.

"I think we should continue on our way before it gets darker. I'd say about two hours remain. We'll have to stop in an hour and a half to set up camp for the night."

Alexis finally spoke, "I agree Irene, let's get going." Alexis was the first to start walking, most of the guys slipping and sliding behind her on the slick ice.

**Chapter 40 (Camping Out)**

Ryo melted the ice within a 1-mile square radius around them and Irene created a dense outcrop of forest within that space to conceal them, with the help of Cye creating a small stream around that going through the middle of the tiny forest to give the plants water. This barrier of plants would give them some protection through the night and also give them a warning if anyone tried sneak through the forest.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm exhausted." Rowen said pilling together a bundle of large pine branches to create a bed. The others did the same.

"Yeah, well, get your sleep, we've got another long hike ahead of us. I'd say we'll get to the castle at around noon. I remember coming out here before, it was peaceful and seemed safe then." Alexis said sullenly.

"So this is where you would disappear to for days at a time." Kat said in a sort of sudden revelation.

"You always were the odd one Alexis." Irene said jokingly. Alexis and Kat smiled.

"Look who's talking." Alexis reputed. "Couldn't keep decently feminine clothing around without hiding it so long as you were there."

"Yea Kat, you have something against looking civilized when we got the chance to go out to eat?"

"Civilized? I'm not the one who made the solarium look like a jungle and spent every third night in there."

The guys listened to the girls friendly bickering for the next half hour or so, lying on their backs on the pine needles. The girls eventually got into talking about their pasts and families, talking about what they remembered of the few good moments that happened while with the dynasty. And what they could remember of their first meeting. Eventually the guys drifted into a restless sleep.

Irene and Kat got up from their beds and walked over to where Cye and Rowen lay. Taking their places next to the young men, Irene snuggled her back closely against Cye feeling his warm breath against her neck. Kat did the same, laying next to Rowen. Soon they had all drifted off to sleep, even Alexis who proudly stayed right were she was in her own comfortable bed.

Alexis woke up at around midnight to a stinging feeling on her back. She had long ago banished her sub-armor and now found herself laying on her back, the one place she tried not to lay. Silently getting up and bringing with her a tube of cream from her pocket, she walked over to wake Kat up.

"What's it?" Kat asked groggily. Alexis showed her the cream, "oh, yeah, alright...a min.." she disentangled herself gently from the blue-haired ronin who'd become her teddy bear and managed to stand, stretching sleep away slowly. The two girls went to a small thatch at the distant end of the make-shift forest and sat down. Kat sat behind Alexis and began to gently rub the medicine into the still healing wounds of all the torturing she had received. Alexis winced at Kat's touch.

"I'm sorry about all this Alex."

"No need to be. It wasn't your fault. None of this was any of our faults."

"Your wounds are healing nicely. You should only have a couple of scars by time their completely healed." Alexis gave a small laugh. After Kat finished, Alexis crawled back into her bed and went to sleep. Kat on the other hand, couldn't get back to sleep. She roamed restlessly about the edge of the trees, stalking shadows, and thinking...

**Chapter 41 (Anger Releasement Therapy)**

Irene awoke late that night to the sound of a loud thumping, what it was she couldn't quiet make out. Silently, she sat up in the dark and squinted her eyes to see what she could in the darkness of night. Their camp fire had gone out long ago and was now smoldering on what embers were left.

Peering around the wall of trees and shrubbery, Irene's eyes fell upon a figure in blue and silver armor. 'Kat, what is she doing?' Irene asked herself mentally.

Kat hit the strong tree with her fist again and again. 'Damn spirit, I'll get that stupid Bademon back for ruining my life. He'll pay, I'll blow him to bits.' Kat growled to herself.

"Are you alright Kat?" Irene asked, walking up to stand beside her, looking concerned.

"No, I'm not alright!" She reputed.

"Well ya don't have to kill the dang tree!"

_(silly version: Irene suddenly went chibi and smacked Kat so that she flew into the air and landed a couple feet away. "What was that for!" Kat went chibi as well. "Oh, stop, here take this Pepsi and be quiet." Irene reached into hammer space and pulled a can of cold soda from the black nothingness.) _

Irene suddenly hit Kat, sending her flying backwards to land with a thud.

"What was that for?"

"Just chill out will you?" Irene turned to go back to bed. Kat just glared at her.

**Chapter 42 (Meeting for the battle)**

The edge of the forest came into view as the warriors continued moving toward the castle. They had been planning on coming up on the castle from behind and attacking with as much of a surprise as they could get with Bademon's Guard constantly attacking them at irregular intervals. Finally, they were out from under the covering foliage and they stopped to get their bearings.

Cye fell to the ground with a sharp cry. Irene darted to his side as the others took fighting stances and scanned the sky. A deep rumbling laughter filled the air, and an armored figure appeared in the sky overhead, surrounded by nether spirits.

He had a shock of flame red hair and bright green eyes. He wore a leather armor vest, leaving his arms bare. A long scar ran jaggedly down his left arm. He wore brown leather pants and dark army boots. He had a strong, lithe build, with well-tanned skin. Around his neck hung a simple silver chain. In his right hand he held a long, red handled scythe with a spike extruding from its base. At his belt hung a glass tipped whip.

"Hey, who's the dude?" Asked Ryo sarcastically.

"I'm Iraxis. I'm here on orders to destroy you. I will make it a quick and painless death if you surrender now."

"Hey Irene! Is Cye ok?" Yelled Kat, glaring at the floating figure.

"Yea, he's OK. He got hit in the arm, but no damage." Irene replied, helping Cye up.

"Surrender? You gotta be kidding me!" Yelled Kento.

"Bring it on!" Challenged Ryo, preparing to call up his armor. The spirits attacked before he could.

The odd humming voices from the spirits increased suddenly, the orbs around them flaring with blue lights and jumping with electric energy. The bolts jumped out at the Ronins, throwing Kento to the ground with repeated jolts. Sage and Ryo blocked bolts with their swords. Finally, Iraxis began to lower to the ground, holding his scythe at the ready. He charged at the group as he touched the ground, and his blade was met with a clash by Alexis's No-datchi. Quick on his feet, he was around her defense and attacking from a different direction in a split second, making her work hard to continually block his blows.

Irene was getting quite mad, dodging bolts of the deadly lightning and blocking some with her staff. She jumped to miss one that landed where she had been standing, blasting a burning hole in the grass where she had been, then had to block another. The force of it hitting her staff knocked her backwards, and she had to flip to land upright on a tree limb behind her. Using it as a springboard she jumped back at the spirit and sliced through it with the bladed end of the staff. It flickered, shrieked, and disappeared.

"Yes!" exclaimed Irene, reveling momentarily in her victory. A moment was all it took for a nearby nether spirit to focus its attack on her. She hit the ground with a hard thud, repressing a moan of pain.

"Irene!" both Kat and Cye exclaimed, rushing over toward her while fending off more attacks. The spirits were attacking ferociously, drawing power noticeably from each hit. Sage was fighting desperately along side Rowen, four nether spirits closing around them.

"Hey Sage!" called Rowen over his shoulder, "On three! THREE!" they both jumped and slashed at opposing spirits, destroying two.

Alexis dodged an attack from Iraxis, caught another blow to her chest, and she fell backwards. Their swords clashed and it became obvious that Iraxis was more then a warlord.

"What are you?" yelled Alexis, backing away against his onslaught of attack.

"Do you really want to know?" Iraxis grinned evilly, and swung once more at Alexis's breaking defense before bounding back a short distance. "Do you want to really know what I am? What I can become?" He waited grinning for their response.

Alexis looked around herself. The remaining nether spirits were drawing back. Though she knew many had been destroyed from the flashes and strange screams as they perished, there seemed to be just as many as had originally attacked. Kat was back to back with Sage and Rowen in a small circle, watching wearily as the spirits withdrew. Kento had risen and was with Cye, bent over Irene, who was herself recovering quickly. Ryo was moving up to stand with her.

"All right Iraxis." Alexis called. "I asked once, now let's get the answer."

**Chapter 43 (Demon Within)**

The figure of Iraxis began to glow and morph horribly. Though the bright blue glow obscured most of the details, the sight still made Cye turn away in disgust and Irene's eyes widen. His skin darkened as if it were burning from the inside, and he began to stretch and change. His face elongated, forming an ugly snout and deep-sunk eyes. Two horns sprouted from odd angles on his head.

The clothing shredded as the body grew, the arms becoming large with muscle, oversized hands ending in sharp claws. The legs twisted in strange ways, looking deformed as they moved to support the large frame. Each leg ended in a large half hoof-half claw. The mouth cracked open to reveal rows of sharp teeth and a double set of fangs. The wicked smile was turned toward them, blasting them with foul smelling breath.

"What do think of this form," the creature laughed, raising his claws toward the heavens, basking in his new powerful form. The warriors could only stare, the horror etched on their faces. "It's too bad about you three," said the creature with mock sadness. "You could have been so glorious, stronger than the warlords, and outshining the stars! But I suppose you were stupider than I thought for turning down such an offer, so now I'll have to kill you. I would have eventually done it... but it's more disappointing this way."

"It's Bademon!" Ryo exclaimed. Alexis elbowed him hard.

"Congratulations for stating the obvious, once again." Muttered Kat, glaring at him from behind.

"That thing makes Godzilla look like a teddy bear...," whispered Irene.

"So what's with the monster form, Badey?" asked Alexis, faking a nonchalant tone.

"I've taken this form to destroy you, to better focus my power."

"Oh, so you admit you couldn't have beaten us in the spirit form."

"Insolent fool!" Bademon screamed, diving at Alexis, teeth snapping like a giant whip. Alexis jumped out of the way, pushing Ryo out of the way as she did. Bademon hit the ground, but came up immediately, knocking Alexis as he did. She flipped, and landed near Kat.

"Hey Alexis, nice of you to drop in. Think we should beat this guy now?" Asked Kat, taking a new grip on her swords.

"You think we're going to let you fight this yourselves!" Asked Sage, stepping up next to Alexis.

"You think you have a choice?" Alexis shot back, as they had to duck away from another attack from the monster. The thing was now nearly four times the height of a man, and the scales now prominent on it's hide shone like armor. Claws glimmered as they cut through the air, striking toward the prepared warriors. The Final Battle had begun.

Authors note: insert funky music here :D

**Chapter 44 (Final Battle)**

Metal clashed on the sub-metal substance of Bademon's claws as Kat, Irene, and Alexis all attacked at the same instant. He stepped forward, trying to crush the Ronins scattered about the ground. Before the three girls eyes, as they were diving and dodging, all the while trying to think of the beast's weak spot, the Ronins fell, leaving them alone to face Bademon...

"Where is he getting all this power from?" Shouted Alexis, a faint tone of fear could be detected but not easily.

"I remember Cye telling me about the past battle with Bademon, he was never able to transform into this monster before!" Irene yelled back.

"Just hold still and die!" screeched Bademon sneeringly.

"He must have found some sufficent energy source from something!" Kat yelled as she ducked one of Bademon's tremendous blows.

Would you like to give me an example Kat? What'd he do eat a sack of batteries or something?" Alexis asked sarcastically.

"I don't know!" Kat yelled back, frustrated, making a semi-elegant flip at the same time.

"Can't we just pull the plug or something?" Irene joked tiredly.

"Well I'm glad you've still got a sense of humor." sighed Kat. "But should we try attacking him all at once instead of yacking our heads off!"

Kento pushed himself off the ground and looked around to where the others were also getting up, except for a figure in dark blue armor. "Row?" Called Kento, but there was no response. Kento looked up to where the girls were bearly holding bademon at bay, then saw Sage stagger upwards. "Hey Sage, help me get Rowen out of the way, I think he was knocked out!"

"What?" gasped Kat, hearing Kento's plea. "Row, Rowens hurt!" she turned and glared at Bademon. "Monster... MONSTER!" she raised one sword high into the air, feeling the imence power that comes from anger rushing through her. A strong gusting wind howled around her, quickly creating a swirling tornado that picked up the debris of smashed tree and up-thrown dirt. "We'll not stop till we kill you, you hear me!" she yelled, as the twister spun out of her control and was flung toward Bademon.

"You've done it now Badey!" Alexis giggled in a mock tone, having seen Kat loose her temper only once before. "You're sooo gonna get it." Alexis held her daggers of ice out infront of her and closed her eyes, feeling a rush of power. The power was odd though, the source wasn't from anger. It was from the pure will to help her friend. It was a power that came from deep within, something that hadn't been awakened before.

Snow, ice, and hail swirled around her small, armored figure, gathering speed and strength as it went. Once it was powerful enough and she could no longer control the force it soared toward the monster in front of her, joining with Kat's twister. The attack became all that much stronger. Alexis drew her nodachi and yelled our her sure-kill.

"SNOWSTORM BLAST!" The frozen bits glowed with her energy, the attack was stronger then it had ever been for her. This would be the end.

Irene looked over at her two friends, their power gathering every second. But how could she help? They both had a strong reason to fight, what was she fighting for? She narrowed her eyes in thought

...For Cye, as she looked over at his crumpled body trying desperately to move. For Mama Marie and Rosalie... for all the Ronins, to help the world, for the hope of the world! To destroy this monster that has ruined so many lives, so many wishes, destroyed them slowly. There was a burst of green light on Irene's forehead and there, vibrantly shinning, was 'hope'.

"VINE WHIP LASH!" Irene screamed. Plants shot out of the earth and twisted around her arms turning into tight vines. Irene let them burst forth, winding around Bademon's hidious form, strangling his body and holding him in place so tight they were cuting into the creature's flesh, while Kat and Alexis's power blast rushed toward him.

The raw energy gathered around the three filled the air. It reached out and filled the Ronins as well, drawing them up from their momentary defeat and together from being scattered by Bademon's wild attack. Whether it was the effect of the the channeling fo the three storm armors, or the simple need that accomplished it, the energy revived the warriors. Four armors glowed.  
"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!"  
"SUPERWAVE SMASHER!"  
"THUNDERBOLT CUT!"  
"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"  
Ryo let their minds form the slightest of bonds, felt the wild, searing heat as he called up the sparkling rainbow-white armor. He melded with the energy surging in the air.  
**"RAGE OF INFERNO!"**

The power was immense. Together, wind, ice, and flame melded and exploded. It lit the eerie yellow dynasty sky.

And Bademon fell. His form reduced from the monsterous one to that of Iraxis. Blood dripping from his many wounds, his burned and charred body tried to move. Failing the attempt, he lay there jerking wildly, small lighting bolts of fading energy danced in the sand/dirt around him.

Finally, he lifted up his head to look at the three Warlordesses. On their foreheads he could see three bright symbols. Shining in blue on Kat's forhead was Love; radiating the color of her armor, Eternity shone bright on Alexis's forhead; Irene's symbol of hope glowed with her newfound reason. His dying eyes filled with fury. Many times he opened his mouth as if speaking, but no one heard any sound.

Finally he lay back, closed his eyes, and grinned his last, malicious smile. The world exploded. The entire desert shook and the air was filled with purple light. Everyone was thrown backwards and the Ronins saw nothing for hours except black.

**Epilog**

Slowly Sage opened his eyes. The desert wind breezed across his face and whispered in his ears.

"Where am I?" He thought dimly.

Then he remembered. He looked wildly around for the others. He began to see the other Ronins as dark shapes coming toward him.

"Where is Irene?" Came Cye's choked voice.

"I don't know!" Said Sage, pushing himself up and looking desperately for any sign of the three Warlordesses in the endless sand.

"I can't find them either." Rowen replied sorrowfully.

"We'll keep looking!" Ryo said.

"Hey guys! I think I found something!" Kento shouted across the raging wind. All four of the Ronins rushed toward Kento's voice, stopped dead in their tracks, and stared. There in the sand lay three orbs. One ice pink, one forest green, and one pale blue. Each shining with a different kanji; Eternity, Hope, and Love. The last traces of the three warlordesses.

Elsewhere, four girls awoke in their own beds to stare at the oncoming daylight through their windows.

"EMERIS!"

**The End**


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